Time Travel
by Julie Kay
Summary: A story of those "God-forsaken paradox, the past is the future, the future is the past. . ." Starts out like Future's End, but it won't be for long. I hope to get some J/C action in there, but nothing yet.
1. A Lost Ship

*~* Disclaimer *~* How many disclaimers have you read in your entire life out here on the nets? I think you basically get the point by now. Some people have come up with really creative disclaimers, which I really like, but I'm not in a very creative mood right now, sorry. These characters do not belong to me, I'm borrowing them for a while. The story, however, is mine to do as I like with. I think that about sums it up.  
  
*~* Author's Note *~* I love reviews, so anything you want to give me is great! This story can become confusing at times, so also feel free to ask questions about it in the reviews and I'll try to clear things up. Thanks! :D  
  
[Stardate 50283.1, U.S.S. Voyager, somewhere in the Delta Quadrant]  
  
Captain Kathryn Janeway sat in her command chair, surveying the scene. Everything was as it should be. Tom, in his pilot's chair, guiding the ship towards the Alpha Quadrant, Seven, running diagnostics at the science station, and Harry... Harry, with his eyebrows furled, looking at some data.  
  
"Something wrong, Harry?" Kathryn didn't see the point of calling her senor officers by their rank unless needed. They'd been lost in the Delta Quadrant long enough for her to get to know them, although she still preferred them to call her Captain, just to remind everyone that she was still in charge.  
  
"I'm not sure Captain. The sensors have picked up some sort of rift forming directly ahead. But I can't seem to get any information about the rift. All the sensors can tell me is that it's there."  
  
Kathryn frowned slightly as she leaned her chin against one hand. "Tom, slow us to a quarter impulse. Let's take a look."  
  
"Yes Captain," Tom replied, his fingers deftly bringing the huge ship to near stop.  
  
"Are you getting anything on sensors now, Harry?" Kathryn asked as she turned back to her youngest senor officer.  
  
"Not much more, Captain, I think --" he paused as he saw what the sensors were trying to tell him. "There's a ship coming out!"  
  
"A ship?" a new voice came from behind Kathryn, as the turbo lift hissed closed. She had been too preoccupied to notice when it had opened. She turned to her first officer.  
  
"Apparently so. What do you think?"  
  
"Well, they haven't shown any hostile intentions," he replied, as he took his seat next to her.  
  
"Captain, the ship is headed directly towards us," Tuvok's emotionless voice joined the conversation, as Harry interrupted him.   
  
"The rift has closed, Captain, but I got some last minute information on the it. I believe that it led to the Alpha Quadrant!" Harry said excitedly. "He could open it up again and we could go home!"  
  
"Let's not get our hopes up," Kathryn chided him gently. Then her tone grew thoughtful. "However, it never hurt to try. Hail them, Harry." As he did what she asked, a confused, human face appeared on the view screen.  
  
"What are you doing here?" the man demanded, then looked at his sensors. "And where exactly is here, anyway?"  
  
"You're human," Chakotay didn't even bother to answer the man's questions as he and Kathryn traded shocked expressions.  
  
"Of course I'm human, what did you think I was, a Farka? Oh, never mind, it's a bit early for their species. But maybe not, if there are starships, and they're this far out. Who did you say you were?"  
  
"I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway, of the Federation Starship Voyager," Kathryn heard herself reciting as she stood up in a daze. "Who are you?"  
  
The man stared at her. "The Federation? The Federation doesn't exist for-- Wait a minute!" He typed for a moment on his strange computer. "How could I have been so Kala like!" he cried a moment later. "I misprogramed the stupid thing! A master's degree in this ship's technology, bah! Bart was right. I shouldn't have asked for this mission. And I'm not even orbiting Earth like I'm supposed to. Now, to correct my mistake..." he busied himself at the controls, as the Voyager crew looked on in amazement. Who was this crazy man?   
  
"Excuse me," Chakotay breached the silence, "You know who we are, would you mind telling us who you are?"  
  
"Also, that rift you came out of, where did it lead?" Kathryn added, trying to get as much information as possible on what could be their way home.  
  
The man looked up, as if surprised to see them still there. "I'm Captain Lue Chaz, and as for that rift, it's none of your business. I shouldn't even be talking to you." He moved to terminate the link.  
  
"Wait a minute, please!" Kathryn exclaimed, before Lue could touch the controls. "We're lost here in the Delta Quadrant, and we're trying to get back to Earth. Didn't that rift lead to there? Can't we go through it to go home again?"  
  
Lue narrowed his eyes . "Absolutely not. You may know where the rift leads, but you need to stay out here until you do whatever you're supposed to do. I'm sorry," he added as he saw their faces, "but no."  
  
"Why not? We're not even supposed to be out here in the first place, so what is it that we're supposed to do?" Kathryn asked desperately.  
  
"How should I know? Besides, I couldn't tell you that. Worth more than my life," Lue said, his eyes hardening. "Now, if you'll excuse me..." He pressed a series of buttons and his image was replaced by the stars and his ship floating in space.  
  
"Captain, if the ship came out of a rift, it's a sure bet that he's going to have to go through another one to get out of here. And he said he's supposed to be orbiting Earth..." Harry let the thought lay there for a moment. "We could follow him into the rift and be home in no time at all." 


	2. Vulcans

[4/13/2002, 02:00, San Francisco, California, Earth]  
  
Jenna Daly sat down on the couch, her eyes glued to the TV, the only light in the darkened room during the early morning hour. Tuvok was on the screen, reminding Captain Janeway that Vulcans hadn't come to Earth until after April 5, 2063. He was wrong, not that he knew it. Jenna had believed him herself, thinking that Vulcans weren't even real, until two months ago. Two months ago, when her life changed forever.   
  
The episode ended, going into an advertisement as Jenna hit the power button, plunging the room into darkness. She kept the room that way as she closed her eyes and thought about what had happened.  
  
[2/11/2002, 22:00]  
  
It had been dark that night, but the moon had been shining brightly enough to see by. She'd been out late having coffee with a friend, and they'd chatted for a long time. Her friend had offered her a ride home, but she had declined, not wanting to impose.   
  
Jenna had decided on taking a short cut through the park, where the streetlights weren't as bright. As she started walking around the huge forest-like part of the park, she had heard a low groan, coming from pretty far off. Thinking that someone had been injured, she'd followed the noise deep into the woods.   
  
The moon shone through the branches, guiding Jenna along to a small clearing that was surrounded by thickly growing trees. Jenna hadn't known that trees could grow that close together. She slid through a narrow gap, breaking off young branches in the process. As she stepped quietly into the clearing, her foot hit something that let out a soft noise. Gasping, she backed away quickly, right into a nearby tree. She turned to run, then stopped. In the dim light she could make out the figure of the thing she had nearly tripped over.   
  
Whatever it was, it hadn't moved. She moved closer, her curiosity getting the better of her. As she got closer, she noticed that the person was lying on their side, with their back facing her. Jenna crept up until she was right next to the person. She could now see that it was a man dressed in very peculiar clothes, a type of clothes she had never seen before.   
  
Bending over him, she could see his face. His eyes were closed, so she moved her inspection to the rest of his face, noting that he seemed just like any other person she might see walking down the street. Then Jenna noticed his ears. They were sharp and pointy, like an elf or... "a Vulcan," Jenna whispered in shock, as the sound of her voice caused the man to open his eyes and turn on his back. He stared her straight in the eye, his dark brown eyes meeting her green ones. 


	3. Earth

Kathryn turned around and looked at Chakotay. "What do you think?" she asked softly, asking for his thoughts about the rift.   
  
Chakotay unconsciously moved closer to her as he answered her in the same quiet tone. "It seems all right, but I don't know why he doesn't want us through the rift. It's not that it's unstable, he goes through it, so it must have something to do with who we are."  
  
Kathryn nodded in agreement, as Chakotay added, "But why are you asking me? We both know you'll do anything to get this ship home again. If you really want a second opinion, ask the crew."  
  
After thinking for a moment, Kathryn turned to her senor staff on the bridge. "You all know our options. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the matter."  
  
"Captain," Harry spoke up immediately, "I think we should go for it. He admitted that he was going Earth. That should be all we need to know."  
  
"However, we must take in account that he has already made one mistake on coming here," Tuvok reminded the young ensign. "He may take us back to where we started, or farther."  
  
"True, but we could just follow him through other rifts until we get back to Earth."  
  
Tuvok raised his eyebrows. "Captain Chaz has warned us not to follow him. I do not believe that he would allow us to follow him more than once. However," he stated, as Harry's face fell, "I do believe that with our sensors we will be able to tell where the rift leads. If our sensors show the rift leads to Earth, it is my opinion that we should go through it."  
  
Kathryn looked at Seven and Tom, the only ones on the bridge not to express their opinions. Seven said nothing, showing Kathryn that she would be content with the decision of the others.  
  
Tom spoke up from the helm. "I agree with Tuvok. We know that his shields are about the same as ours, so we shouldn't have a lot of problems going through the rift."  
  
Harry's face brightened again, as his console beeped. "Captain," he cried, looking at the sensors, "Captain Chaz must have finished his calculations. He's opening another rift!"  
  
"Can you tell where it leads yet?" Kathryn spun around and jumped up the stairs to Harry's station. She put a hand on the edge of his console, waiting for a reply.  
  
"I should know in approximately two minutes, Captain," Harry answered, his fingers flying over the sensors.  
  
"But will the rift still be open then?" Chakotay's firm voice entered the conversation. Looking down at him from the higher platform, Kathryn regarded him fondly. Then, remembering his question, she walked back down towards her command chair, passing him as she sat down. "The rift was open long enough for us to find out where it went last time, and that time we didn't start scanning when it first opened. In theory, we should have plenty of time."  
  
"Captain," Harry demanded her attention, "Chaz's ship is entering the rift!"  
  
"Where does it lead?"  
  
"I still can't... wait a minute!" Harry furiously pressed buttons, giving him the relevant data. "It leads to the Alpha Quadrant!" he said triumphantly. "It would take us into a high orbit of Earth!" 


End file.
